Check, Please! TV Shows Popping Up on PBS

Check, Please! TV Shows Popping Up on PBS

One of the PBS stations started a TV Show called Check, Please! and it did so well, other PBS stations around the country started picking up on the idea. The format is pretty simple. There's a host - usually a local food chef or celebrity, and 3 guests at a time for each show, local ordinary people, who submit their favorite restaurant for a review. The people and places are selected by the PBS staff. Those 3 people then eat at each others restaurant choice then come in studio and tape a show and discuss all 3 restaurants. The PBS Camera crews go out and film the food, the restaurants decor, the owners etc. They're all local restaurants, not chains. It's a real interesting show if you haven't seen it in your area. Stations in Phoenix, Seattle, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, South Fl and others are featuring it. In AZ, it's now the 2nd most popular show on PBS next to Downton Abby! If your PBS station isn't doing it yet, contact them and ask them to jump on it. It's really interesting to watch! My 3 "Must See" shows are NCIS, Check, Please! and Downton Abby!! (Demand for British butlers has more than doubled recently)ANYONE ELSE SEEN IT IN YOUR AREA???

"Check Please" started here in Chicago in 2001 with Amanda Puck (Wolfgang's former sister-in-law) as the original host. She was replaced in the second or third season by Alpana Singh, a well known, local sommelier. I believe the next city to pick up the concept was San Francisco, followed by Kansas City.

Then state senator Barack Obama was one of the guests on an early episode. He reviewed The Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop, a south side restaurant featuring Cajun and other Southern style cuisine.

It is one of the most popular shows on our local PBS station. Featured restaurants have been inundated with new customers for weeks and months after their segments aired. Not such a good thing for those establishments too small to handle the crowds. The sudden success actually put (at least) one place out of business.

Alpana Singh became the youngest woman Master Sommelier at age 21. She is a very well prepared and knowledgeable host.

What Buddy says about restaurants being inundated after being on the show is true! One of these places is near me and there is always a long line that becomes even longer when the segment appears on TV again.